MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team down was by five points at the half (30-25) to the Ferris State University Bulldogs Thursday at the Berry Events Center. NMU had chances in the second half, but could not pull out the win and dropped a 66-59 decision to the Bulldogs.

With the loss Thursday the Wildcats are now 10-8 overall on the season and 5-8 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). Ferris improves to 6-11 and 4-9 respectively.

Ferris jumped out to a nine-point lead (11-2) a little over five minutes into the game. Christa Erickson sank a three-ball at 12:56 to get the ‘Cats within four (11-7). The Bulldogs went up by eight with 10:45 left in the half before NMU got a three-pointer by Kelsey Deacon and a lay-up by Steffani Stoeger to cut the lead to three (15-12). Deacon made a driving lay-up to the basket to tie the game at 18-all with 8:12 showing on the clock. Ferris would build up the lead again before going into the locker room up by five points.

Erin Powers sank two free throws at the beginning of the second half for the ‘Cats to be down by three (30-27). From there the Bulldogs went on a 13-3 run over a span of four minutes. At the time Ferris had a 43-30 lead with a little over 15 minutes left in the game. Powers made a lay-up at 11:44 to get the Ferris lead to under 10 points (52-43) which was followed up by a three-pointer from Cassi Rushford. With the Bulldogs holding onto a 54-46 lead the ‘Cats got back-to-back baskets by Deacon and Angie Leckson for a four-point deficit (54-50) with about seven minutes left in the game. Ferris scored seven points in a row for a 61-50 lead. With a little over four minutes left in the game the ‘Cats were within four after Powers sank both of her free throws. That was as close as the ‘Cats would get on the night.

Erickson led the ‘Cats with 11 points for the game. Powers added 10 points and nine rebounds. She was a perfect six-of-six from the free throw line. Ashley Fleming led the Bulldogs with 18 points.

For the game NMU was 21-63 from the floor (33.3 percent). From three-point range the ‘Cats were 8-31 (25.8 percent). Erickson led NMU with three three-pointers in nine attempts. NMU was 9-10 from the free throw line (90 percent). The ‘Cats won the battle along the boards by 10 (48-38).